The experiences of childbearing women who tested positive to COVID-19 during the pandemic in northern Italy

Problem The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly challenged maternity provision internationally. COVID-19 positive women are one of the childbearing groups most impacted by the pandemic due to drastic changes to maternity care pathways put in place. Background Some quantitative research was conducted on clinical characteristics of pregnant women with COVID-19 and pregnant women’s concerns and birth expectations during the COVID-19 pandemic, but no qualitative findings on childbearing women’s experiences during the pandemic were published prior to our study. Aim To explore childbearing experiences of COVID-19 positive mothers who gave birth in the months of March and April 2020 in a Northern Italy maternity hospital. Methods A qualitative interpretive phenomenological approach was undertaken. Audio-recorded semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 women. Thematic analysis was completed using NVivo software. Ethical approval was obtained from the research site’s Ethics Committee prior to commencing the study. Findings The findings include four main themes: 1) coping with unmet expectations; 2) reacting and adapting to the ‘new ordinary’; 3) ‘pandemic relationships’; 4) sharing a traumatic experience with long-lasting emotional impact. Discussion The most traumatic elements of women’s experiences were the sudden family separation, self-isolation, transfer to a referral centre, the partner not allowed to be present at birth and limited physical contact with the newborn. Conclusion Key elements of good practice including provision of compassionate care, presence of birth companions and transfer to referral centers only for the most severe COVID-19 cases should be considered when drafting maternity care pathways guidelines in view of future pandemic waves.